The everyday contributions of a multi-disciplinary writer and researcher to his own projects

Because You Have to Make the Calls – Get Things Done, Jamming, 30/01/2017

I’ve been trying to figure out the best path to get You Were My Friend made into a film for about a year now. So far, the biggest obstacle has been that I can’t do it alone.

If I were so financially independent and wealthy that I could just start a production company and hire a film out of my own pocket, I would have a long time ago. But I’m not. So I’ve had to look into avenues by which I could punch up from where I am now.

And I can’t lie to you about it – it’s been tough. Simply having a secure enough base from which to get all my bills paid and have a reasonable life as an individual is sometimes hard enough. My job has been stressful, and has consumed a lot of energy that I want to put toward my career.

When Lily Tomlin accepted her SAG lifetime achievement award onSunday, she said that you should never cry for missed opportunities,because every failure is an opportunity someone wishes they missed.The lesson: Don't fail.

Lately, a health crisis has interrupted that job.* So while I’m worrying a little about money, I actually feel like I’m in a better position than I was when I was working 20-30 hours each week at the store.

* Don’t worry; I’m not dead, or dying. But it’s still serious.

I have time.

Time to look for work that’s closer to what I actually wanted to do with my career. And I’ve had the past year to build a network of contacts in Toronto that are better suited to helping me find opportunities. Opportunities to work in writing and media, where I actually want to be.

Opportunities to find the people I need to make the film that I want, and a team who’ll be dedicated to promoting and marketing it. You Were My Friend is a story that speaks to a lot of the problems we face today – it’s a tough story of friendship, strength, betrayal, joy, and resilience.

The simple struggle to get by in a tough city is enough to wrench your heart out. And when I look at the script I wrote and the dry run I did for this film on the stage, I know it can stand up with the greatest of what's been done.

I wanted to make an unforgettable piece of theatre. And I did three years ago. Now, I want to make an unforgettable piece of cinema.